Bracelet mounting device



April 28, 1964 J. MITCHELL BRACELET MOUNTING DEVICE Filed July 9, 1965 INVENTOR. ROBERT J. MITCHELL gaeav- 'r'rolzuevs United States Patent 3,130,462 frRACELET MOUNTING DEVICE Robert ll. Mitchell, 116 W. Lincoln St., Findlay, Ohio Filed July 9, 1963, Ser. No. 293,731 2 Claims. (Cl. 2416) This invention relates generally to a device for applying a jewelry item around the wrist of a user and, in particular, to a retaining strap for holding one end of a bracelet or a like article in position while the other end of the article is wrapped around the wrist and fastened.

There is generally a great deal of difficulty infastening a bracelet or other jewelry which wraps around the wrist, particularly when the bracelet or other jewelry is of the loose link or flexible type. Frequently the wearer of the jewelry must depend upon the aid of others in securing the two ends of the bracelet since the wearer only has one hand free to accomplish the fastening.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved retaining means to aid in the securing of a bracelet or the like around the wrist of a wearer.

It is another object of this invention to provide a retaining strap of the type described herein which is inexpensive to manufacture and may be easily stored in a purse or otherwise carried with the user on trips.

The invention comprises a strap of flexible material having ends which may be readily interlocked and tightened around one wrist of a user by his other hand alone. The interlocking means of a preferred embodiment consists of one end portion of the flexible strap and a plurality of notches in the edges of the other, narrower end portion of the strap. The notched end portion is adapted to be inserted in the aperture formed in the first end portion of the strap and drawn up to successively engage the notches with the edges of the aperture and retain the strap tightly around the wrist of the user. The strap has a series of means along the edge of the notched end portion, preferably of progressively larger size, in which one end of a bracelet may be engaged. In the preferred em bodiment, these means are perforations with communicating slots leading to the edge of the strap. The slots allow the user to insert a link or like section of a bracelet or similar article into that one of the perforations of proper size to retain the bracelet. With one end of the bracelet retained within the perforation and protruding above the strap, the other end of the bracelet may be brought around the wrist and the engagement of the two ends of the bracelet easily accomplished.

Other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become apparent when the following description is taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a flexible strap embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of the strap in place on the wrist of a user to retain one end of the bracelet in a fixed position so that the bracelet can be wrapped around the users wrist and fastened to the retained end; and

FIG. 3 is a side view in elevation and on a smaller scale, showing the device in a preliminary position preparatory to placing it on the wrist.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a fragmentary plan view of a strap 16 embodying the invention. The strap is made of any flexible, resilient material, for example, a tough flexible synthetic resin, which will still retain its shape to provide some holding action at the notches, slots or apertures. In the embodiment illustrated, the strap has two end portions 11 and 12. An aperture 20 is formed in the end portion 11. Two series of notches 31 and 32 are formed in the edges of the other end portion 12. A spear point 33 is formed on the end of the portion 12. The aperture 20 has a first section 21 wide enough to pass the spear point 33 and notched end 12 of the strap without resistance. The aperture 20 also has a second section 22. of a width equal only to the width of the endportion 12 between the bases of the notches in the series 31 and 32.

A series of perforations 40 of progressively different size is formed in the strap adjacent each of its edges. Slots 41 are cut in the strap edges and communicate with the perforations 40 to provide for insertion of an article into a perforation 40 for retention of the article within the perforation 40 with its end'link or element protruding above the strap 10. Each of the slots 41 may advantageously diminish in size toward its corresponding perforation 40 thereby aiding in guiding an article into the perforation 4t) and resisting the removal of the article from the perforation. As illustrated, the notches 41 are preferably cut into the strap 10 at an angle and intersect the perforations 40 near their sides closer to the other end of the strap 10 and leaving tabs 42 therebetween.

The user first forms the strap 10 into a large loop by inserting the spear point 33 through the aperture 20, catching its shoulders over the edges of the aperture 20, as shown in FIG. 3. Because the slots 41 are cut as described, bending the strap 10 causes the tabs 42 to pop up. This opens the slots 41 and facilitates insertion of the bracelet or other article to be stretched around the users wrist.

The end of a bracelet, such as the link bracelet 59, which has the non-openable catch, such as a solid ring 51, is then inserted through the proper slot 41 to retain the bracelet 50 with its solid ring 51 positioned above the strap 10.

The looped strap 10 is then slipped over the users hand with the bracelet 5i merely hanging down at one side of the wrist. The user then tightens the device around the wrist as illustrated in FIG. 2, by pulling the narrower end portion 12 through the aperture 20 until the strap 10 is snug and the notches 31, 32 engage the narrower section 22 of the aperture 20. The user then grasps the catch ring 52 of the bracelet 50 between the thumb and forefinger of the other hand and leads the bracelet 50 around her wrist. She then opens the catch ring 52 and engages it with the solid ring 51 which is held in a fixed position by the retaining strap 10 so that the bracelet does not slip off the wrist as it is led around. After the catch ring 52 is engaged with the other end of the bracelet 59, it is disengaged from the slot 41 and the strap 10 is removed from the users wrist.

Although prior art devices have been suggested for similar uses, as exemplified by Patent No. 3,016,589, issued January 16, 1962, the present invention provides a number of improvements. The strap secures the bracelet by a perforation completely through the strap material. Since the perforations are in the body of the material the retaining means do not tend to break off. The strap is adaptable to all sizes of bracelets since it may be perforated with graduated sizes of holes. The strap is secured to the wrist of the user by an adjustable means and can be tightened by one hand so that the strap does not slip. The pressure of the strap against the jewelry and, in turn, the pressure of the jewelry against the skin affords an extremely tight fit preventing slippage. The advantageously circular perforations are functional from any direction. The slots are so cut that the intermediate tabs pop up to facilitate insertion of the bracelet.

In conclusion, it is pointed out that While the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself to the exact details shown, since modification of the same may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A device for applying a jewelry item around the wrist of a person comprising a strap of flexible material, the ends of said strap being adapted to releasably interlock, one end portion having formed therein an aperture, the other end portion having formed in each edge thereof a plurality of notches, said notches being so shaped as to resist removal of the notched strap end from said aperture when the notched strap end is inserted in said aperture, the notches in one strap edge being positioned substantially opposite the notches in the other strap edge, said aperture defining a first area adapted to admit said notched end of said strap Without resistance, and a second area'adapted to admit only the cross-section of said strap! at a notched position, said strap having a plurality of perforations formed therein adjacent an edge of said strap and a like plurality of slots formed in said strap edge communicating with corresponding perforations to provide entry of an article to said perforation for retention of said article within said perforation, each said slot diminishing in size toward its corresponding perforation thereby aiding in guiding the article into the perforation and resisting the removal of the article from the perforation.

2. A device of the character described in claim 1 wherein the aperture-carrying end portion is formed wider than the notched end portion and the plurality of perforations are formed in the edges of the wider end portion thereby aiding disengagement of an article from a perforation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A DEVICE FOR APPLYING A JEWELRY ITEM AROUND THE WRIST OF A PERSON COMPRISING A STRAP OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL, THE ENDS OF SAID STRAP BEING ADAPTED TO RELEASABLY INTERLOCK, ONE END PORTION HAVING FORMED THEREIN AN APERTURE, THE OTHER END PORTION HAVING FORMED IN EACH EDGE THEREOF A PLURALITY OF NOTCHES, SAID NOTCHES BEING SO SHAPED AS TO RESIST REMOVAL OF THE NOTCHED STRAP END FROM SAID APERTURE WHEN THE NOTCHED STRAP END IS INSERTED IN SAID APERTURE, THE NOTCHES IN ONE STRAP EDGE BEING POSITIONED SUBSTANTIALLY OPPOSITE THE NOTCHES IN THE OTHER STRAP EDGE, SAID APERTURE DEFINING A FIRST AREA ADAPTED TO ADMIT SAID NOTCHED END OF SAID STRAP WITHOUT RESISTANCE, AND A SECOND AREA ADAPTED TO ADMIT ONLY THE CROSS-SECTION OF SAID STRAP AT A NOTCHED POSITION, SAID STRAP HAVING A PLURALITY OF PERFORATIONS FORMED THEREIN ADJACENT AN EDGE OF SAID STRAP AND A LIKE PLURALITY OF SLOTS FORMED IN SAID STRAP EDGE COMMUNICATING WITH CORRESPONDING PERFORATIONS TO PROVIDE ENTRY OF AN ARTICLE TO SAID PERFORATION FOR RETENTION OF SAID ARTICLE WITHIN SAID PERFORATION, EACH SAID SLOT DIMINISHING IN SIZE TOWARD ITS CORRESPONDING PERFORATION THEREBY AIDING IN GUIDING THE ARTICLE INTO THE PERFORATION AND RESISTING THE REMOVAL OF THE ARTICLE FROM THE PERFORATION. 